After several years of being in denial, the Auburn City Council is finally dealing with its financial shortfalls. The city had built up a large reserve fund during the boom years, but for the last four years, has been dipping into those reserves to make ends meet. Now those reserves are running low and the city has little choice but to stem the flow of red ink. It cannot continue to spend more money than it takes in.
But is this year’s action enough?
Maybe not.
For one thing, the cuts aren’t quite as steep as they first appear. The city moved its cost of managing the town’s water department out of the general fund budget and into the water fund budget. The town then raised its water rates to cover that cost. All of that makes sense, but the city really didn’t get rid of $200,000 in expenses, it just accounted for it differently and raised rates to generate more revenue to cover those costs. Second, the city kept its ill-advised city bus system in place. The ANT transit budget is a work of fiction; there is no way it will generate $38,000 in rider income during the next year. That transit program was created to help a private firm get tax credits to build a large apartment complex in Auburn.

And the city is counting on that to happen next year. The budget estimates those apartments will generate over $100,000 in building permit revenue.

But what if that project is delayed? That would throw the town’s budget into chaos, both from the lack of revenue and the cost of the ANT system.

While those items are “iffy” in the budget, the biggest issue in Auburn’s financial struggles is the cost of the town’s police department. While the city did make some cuts to the police spending, that one department continues to make up half of the town’s total expenses.

That is a formula for disaster. A lot of small towns in Northeast Georgia have gotten into financial trouble because of having police departments that cost too much. No single department in any city should consume half of all spending. That model for a city government simply isn’t sustainable.

To its credit, Auburn is making some other spending cuts in its FY2013 budget. That’s a change from a couple years ago when the council seemed oblivious to the fact that it was spending more money than it was taking in.

But those cuts may not be enough. Until Auburn downsizes its police department to under 35 percent of the town’s spending, it will continue to have financial struggles.

***

The Barrow County Board of Commissioners is planning a tax hike. Well, part of it technically isn’t a hike. The millage rate is going up to offset a further decline in the tax digest, thus the overall difference isn’t a technical increase.

Try telling that to taxpayers. People will pay more taxes on less value this year than last year. For most people, that is an increase even if it doesn’t meet the technical definition.

But in addition to that, the county is also raising the tax rate another mill for what it calls “capital purchases.” That is a tax hike no matter what it’s designated for. In fact, those dollars could be used for anything in the county government and won’t be restricted to capital projects. Capital projects might be the plan, but there is nothing that restricts those extra dollars.

There is no doubt that Barrow County has been ground zero for the collapse in property values. During the boom, those values were wildly inflated as speculation drove up prices to inane levels. Now those values have fallen far below what they were.

All of that has affected local governments. During the good times, governments grew and expanded. Now they are shrinking and the cuts are painful.

The Barrow BOC has made cuts in recent years and now it is raising the tax rate. Maybe the BOC should also take a look at its property tax exemptions — it has a lot —and compare those to other nearby counties.

***

That Walton International is buying up a lot of Barrow County land for what appears to be speculation should get a close look by local government officials. If Walton doesn’t develop that land, some prime real estate in the county could be tied up for years.

The real tragedy of this is that Walton buys the land cheap, syndicates it into small parcels to sell to overseas investors at a very high price, and then pays local taxes on the land at a rate far below what the company is selling it for.

Walton’s plan for its Barrow property is to sit on it for several years then resell. But it has syndicated the land at such a high per acre price, one has to wonder if that property will ever resell at such a high price.
Walton won’t be hurt; it made its money upfront. But the Asian investors may not come out ahead unless local property values skyrocket in the coming years.

Although Walton has billed itself to local officials as developers, many doubt the firm will ever build anything in Barrow County. It may put in a road or an entrance to some of its holdings, but it’s doubtful that Walton will ever carry out the grand plans it shows to local officials.

And government officials shouldn’t be so naïve about what this grand game is all about. It’s about land speculation, not investing in the community.

Mike Buffington is co-publisher of the Barrow Journal. He can be reached at mike@mainstreetnews.com.

Budget are Budgets no matter if its the Federal Government, Local Government or your own budget. You pay the mortgage, food and power first. Beer and cigarettes only if there is extra...

Why? Because you need a place to sleep and food to eat. These are the core things you need to make it to tomorrow.

Then what is the core business for the county? According to Ronald Reagan "Government's first duty is to protect the people, not run their lives"

So, Public Safety, Fire and Police would be like your mortgage, you pay for it first... Then look for extra money to pay for the other things in life.

BUT, NOT according to our BOC... They have spent all of the budget on Other things(Beer and Cigarettes) first and are NOW looking for extra MONEY to pay for the county's core business (PROTECT THE PEOPLE).

JUST WANT IS MORE IMPORTANT?
Protecting your property and family or the OTHER things the COUNTY HAS ALREADY SPENT YOUR MONEY ON?

Maybe the BOC should go back to that budget and find some money to pay for the core business expense before they go looking for more BEER money

Just an observation Mr. Buffington. Why do your "stories" seem to be so jaded when it comes to reporting in Auburn? Last time I checked a reporter was to report facts, not opinions. From my understanding you don't even live the city. That being the case, what business do you have critizing the city? As a resident, I am quite pleased with the city and with our police department and the great progress they have made. They are there for us 24/7/365 and do a great job. If I had to guess, you would want as many cops available if you or someone you care about needed help. Maybe you need to spend a day dealing with what our public servants deals with instead of behind a desk where everything is safe and comfy.

I write an opinion editorial, not a regular news story. My opinions are based on over 30 years of reporting on a variety of local governments and are based on the facts of the situation. In this issue,I have seen a number of other small towns in North Georgia get into deep financial trouble when they fail to control the cost of their police departments. Auburn has for four years in a row been spending more money than it has taken in. That trend can't continue forever.

Well, everyone is allowed an opinion. However, I am a resident, and since I have interest at stake I have to say my opinion actually matters. Not to mention, my opinion is based on the facts I see everyday..since I live here. I like seeing cops in my neighborhood. I like my kids being able to play outside. I like the fact the cops are visible. I'm sure in all of the research you have found how quickly crime rates go up with lack of regular police presence. I'm sure you are also aware cases of cops being killed increase because there aren't enough other cops to help. Do you want to be the one reporting a cop got killed because there was no one to help him? Would your next "opinion" be the cop might not of died if there had been someone close to help him and there should have been more cops around or they should have better stuff?
On top of that, I'm sure you are well aware that we actually have a police department that reaches out to the community instead of treating them like they don't matter. Do they not have the citizens academy? Do they not have a program for teens?
I don't live in the past. The new chief has worked hard to help the community. In your "opinion" you acknowledge he made budget cuts. I challenge you to find another place where a chief not only does that but can keep good people working hard knowing they will not get a raise yet again.
I would really like to know what your problem is with auburn. I have read other opinions you have written, yet i don't see the same tone in your writing about other cities.
I also want to know who would protect us if they did get rid of or cut the police force. The sheriff's department has alot to work and they dont have enough people to be everywhere in the county. Are you willing to risk your safety to help people because we don't have enough cops? I'm not willing to risk my family because someone has a problem with cops, at least ours. I support our cops! I hope your "opinion" of them one day becomes more informed. Maybe one day you will take the time to actually see the things they do to make us feel safe.

For real? You make the "want" for the safety of my family sound like I am adding electrtic locks and windows to a new car because it is a cool add on! There have been cops since before there was electricity and running water. Oddly enough if you don't have that at your house you're not supposed to be able to live there. So lets just think about that one. Are you willing to pay extra money to have running water and electric at your house? Did you WANT certain upgrades when you bought your house or car? I bet you didn't think twice about dropping extra money for that. Do you NEED a machine to operate everything that makes your "news"paper or do you want it? I am sure you could contribute to the economy by paying people to operate a manual printing press.
You are asking if I would be willing to pay a few extra bucks to keep my family and other people safe. Really? Are you being serious when you ask that? You are sitting there and asking me to put a price tag on not just someones life, but the life of my family? Reality, I 100% agree with you! If they are going to report the news then report the news. If they have an opinion, save it for the opinion page. Having an "opinion" as the first thing seen on the website just shows how much the paper wants to influence the way people think. That is even crazier when you put in there that the person writing doesn't have anything invested in the place that they are writing about.
Mr. Buffington,you are so quick to share what you think about stuff you don't really know about. Why have you not answered my questions about what your problem is with Auburn and with cops and what you get out of attacking a place you don't have anything to do with? If someone doesn't answer your questions you write it like they've got something that they are hiding. Lets hear the truth of it.

So why are you so defensive? I put my name on what I write, why don't you? Do you work for the police department, or a family member of an APD employee? Do you work for the city or perhaps sit on the council? What is your ax to grind in this issue?
Your fear-mongering is typical. I've heard it from a lot of other towns where the cost of a local PD got to be too much. Hoschton got rid of its PD, but there has been no crime wave in that town. Arcade cut its PD back to just two or three people, no crime wave. Pendergrass cut its department down to one or two people, no crime wave. It simply isn't true that when a town cuts its PD that more crime happens.
And yes, there is a price tag on public safety. No community can afford to have everything it wants. There are finite resources to spend and those have to be allocated. I've covered local governments for over three decades and based on that, anytime a city PD consumes 50% or more of a town's budget, it isn't sustainable unless the citizens of that town are willing to pay very high property taxes.
But I ask again, why are you so defensive on this issue?

Mike has a problem with law enforcement in general. If you'd read all his "Editorial Opinions," you could easily deduce that he'd be much happier with no law enforcement and criminals running around freely.

Buffinton's opinions are based on his personal biases, but like many so-called journalists, he pretends that his opinions are fact-based and objective. I have no expertise in auburn, but he was so off-base in his ignorant assessment of the Red & Black situation, I cast a very skeptical eye on his opinions on ANY subject.

Mike does a wonderful job as a watch dog. Its funny all you neocon "republicans" preach about smaller goverment, until it comes to military and police. you act like those are not govt institutions. You republicans dont think the police and military can ever have enough money or power. Police and military are the most dangerous threat to our republic, thye must be watched closley. Why are all these small police departments gunning up militarizing? Homeland security wants 30,000 drones over the US by 2017. The F.B.I. is installing facial recognition cameras all across the country. Police brutality is at an all time high, and you fools think this is being done to protect you from someone in a cave thousands of miles away. Realityhoo.com and polemicist you must have family in law enforcement or you are in law enforcement. You should cast a skeptical eye on everything not just Mikes opinions. Keep up the good work Mike. The media should be a watch dog of liberty.

No, paranoid one, I do not not have family in law enforcement not am I cop. So, you are wrong. I just don't believe a so-called journalist-publisher's opinions have validity simply because he can afford a printing press. And, I reiterate: His remarks about the Red & Black situation were particularly "inane." But, I would like to know what connection, if any, he has ever had with either UGA or the j-school.

Did you write for the Red & Black? You must have been in the news-ed sequence, but, perhaps, your focus was on newspaper management. (Mine was magazines.) Dan Kitchens, Wally Eberhard, Ernie Hynds, John English, Charles Kopp, Rebecca Quarles, Warren Agee Barbara McKenzie, George Abney are names I remember.

Actually advertising. Jim Frost was my advisor. Saw Mr. Eberhard and his wife last week. I remember all the name you mention. I didn't write for R&B...no time. I was working every day while in college to pay my way.

Paranoid? I am sorry I guess all the news reports about police getting drones, facial recognition, tanks, attack choppers, working with the military in the "war on drugs" homeland security buying over one billion rounds of hollow point ammo and on and on were just fake storys put out by the media. So why is the news lying to us? Paranoia is a belief in something not real this is real we are headed for a total police state.

I, for one, happen to appreciate Mike's viewpoints! Not only are they common sense they also take the risk of standing up to the `establishment' and holding people accountable. Thank you, Mike Buffington, for not allowing yourself to be bullied or cowering to the government.

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